Online Safety

Being online is a major part of how young people learn, chat with friends, and explore the world. At Tring School, students use computers and devices every day - from Year 7 all the way through to the Sixth Form.

However, being online also brings risks. Students often know how apps work, but they can still be caught out by peer pressure, hurtful comments, or harmful content.

Simply banning phones or checking every message rarely works.  It often leads to teenagers hiding what they do and stops them from asking for help when things go wrong. Instead, we want to work with you.  By setting clear boundaries, talking openly, and staying calm, we can help our young people make safe, positive choices online.

In School

Tring School recognises the risks associated with the online world and teaches students how to navigate the online world safely and confidently.  We provide an online safety curriculum for all students from Year 7 to 13.  It is aligned to the updated 2026 DfE Statutory RSHE Guidance and the UKCIS Education for a Connected World framework, and builds upon online safety training that students will have received at primary school.  Through our Life Skills and Computer Studies lessons, students are taught digital literacy, including how to navigate the impacts of artificial intelligence, recognise algorithmic bias and online misogyny, and protect themselves against financial online harms. 

This is delivered via:

• The Life Skills curriculum 
• Computer Science curriculum 
• UK Safer Internet Day assemblies and activities in February of each year
• Support via Form Tutors and Tutor Time
• Termly Assemblies
• All students, by using school IT systems, are agreeing to follow the Student ICT Acceptable User Agreement
• School networks and WiFi are filtered and monitored

We have a clear Internet safety policy and students are educated in how to stay safe online.  We also have filtering and monitoring systems in place to ensure students are safe whilst using the Internet and other online tools.

Tring School is currently working with the Cyber Essentials accreditation for our e-Safety systems within school. This is a government back schemed which aims to protect organisations from a range of cyber attacks and ensure the best e-safety practices are followed. 

Please click on the following links to view Tring School's Student ICT Acceptable Use Agreement and the RLP's Safeguarding Statement.

At Home

In order to protect your child online, there are a number of things you can do.  First and foremost is to make sure that you understand the risks of using the internet.  We have selected a range of useful resources and websites below to help you with this. 

Here are five practical ways you can support your teenager at home:

1. Keep bedrooms screen-free at night
   Good sleep is essential for your child’s mood, health, and schoolwork.  Late-night alerts and bright screens make it harder to sleep and increase anxiety.  Set a house rule that phones, tablets, laptops, and game consoles are left to charge overnight in a family room, like the kitchen or living room.

2. Talk about the difference between banter and bullying
   Group chats on WhatsApp, Snapchat, and Discord can turn mean very quickly.  Behind a screen, people often say things they would never say out loud.  Remind your child that if a message hurts someone’s feelings or leaves them out on purpose, it is not "just a joke" - it is bullying.

3. Stay calm if something goes wrong
   Teenagers often hide problems—like being blackmailed or seeing upsetting content - because they worry you will get angry or take their phone away.  Reassure your child that if they run into trouble, you will listen and help them fix it without judging them.

4. Discuss how social media apps work
   Apps like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube Shorts are designed to keep users watching for as long as possible.  Their systems often push extreme or shocking posts - like crash diets, negative body images, or toxic influencers.  Talk to your teen about why these videos appear, and help them reset their feeds if the content makes them feel bad.

5. Set up basic safety controls
   Parental controls cannot replace open chats, but they provide a helpful safety net.  Turn on web filters with your home broadband provider to block adult websites.  You can also use free tools like Apple Screen Time or Google Family Link to agree on daily time limits and manage app downloads. Guidance is available from Internet Matters.

Parents/Carers

We also offer an annual training session for parents/carers where you have the opportunity to get hands on with a Chromebook and experience some of the tools we use in school to help develop your confidence in supporting your child and challenging any potential misuse of their device.

HfL Online Safety Newsletter for parents/carers | Autumn 2026

During lockdown we produced an online recording which can be viewed here.

National Online Safety contains guidance on a range of apps and tools, helping to advise parents of any possible dangers.  The guides also explain what parental controls can be put in place to help reduce risks when using the applications.  Please see the folder at the end of this page for a range of recent resources.

Urgent Help & Support Services

Device & App Privacy Guides

Navigating Teen Digital Life (Guides & Advice)